DVD2026: Connected for Combat

Enjoy free access to this sponsored article, all content provided by DVD

Sponsored by the National Armaments Director Group (NAD Group) and Army Headquarters, DVD2026 represents a critical evolution in the generation of modern military capability.

For the engineering community, DVD2026 is more than a trade show, it’s a live event where the integration of lethal, resilient systems meets the reality of modern battlefield requirements.

Deliberately scheduled in the years between the biennial DSEI show, DVD is an essential event in the defence diary, enabling coordinated engagement through informal discussion, briefings, demonstrations and live displays. Stakeholders from across the Ministry of Defence (MoD) are invited to attend, to broaden perspectives and encourage innovation.

Held at UTAC Millbrookin Bedfordshire, the venue provides the ideal environment for demonstrations of land equipment in a setting that reflects the rigours of operation. As the Land Enterprise seeks to become more agile, DVD2026 ensures that both established Primes and the UK’s most innovative SMEs are fully integrated into the future of land warfare.

A new strategic narrative

This year’s theme underscores an increasingly integrated operating model between the British Army, the MoD, and the NAD Group. This approach is a direct response to Defence Reform, aiming to ensure that the UK’s Land Enterprise remains ready for future challenges.

Major General Lizzie Faithfull-Davies CBE, explains the ethos behind the event:

“This year’s theme reflects the vital importance of bringing people together to have the frank, open and face-to-face conversations necessary to understand our mutual requirements. By connecting the unique perspectives of our industry partners, from the Primes through to the SMEs, with our own lived experience, we can ensure that we’re delivering the lethal, resilient and integrated capabilities our soldiers need for the future.”

“DVD is really important for defence procurement,” she continues “because it gives an amazing opportunity for our industry partners to connect really closely with defence and the National Armaments Director Group, which is relatively newly formed. It will allow them to discuss directly with us all to understand both defence’s requirements and for us to understand what industry has to offer.”

The SME Zone

One of the most significant changes for DVD2026 is the introduction of the SME Zone, which aims to remove barriers to entry for small businesses. This dedicated gateway is designed for UK-based start-ups, spin-outs and growing businesses that are not already working within defence and with fewer than 250 employees.

The Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, has highlighted the importance of this shift:

“For too long, complex procurement processes have blocked some of Britain’s brightest businesses from supporting our Armed Forces. The new SME Zone at DVD2026 is an important step in breaking down these barriers. Creating direct access for smaller suppliers to engage with the land sector will strengthen our defence capabilities and at the same time fuel economic growth across the UK. This supports our pledge to increase spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028.”

To further assist these agile innovators, the Defence Office for Small Business Growth, which was established in January 2026, will provide advice on how smaller firms can engage commercially with the Land Enterprise. This ensures that the most innovative concepts have a clear pathway from the exhibition floor to the frontline.

Engineering lethality and resilience

General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff, emphasises that maintaining a competitive edge requires integrating new technologies at the “speed of relevance”. The event focuses on high-tech solutions including:

• Sensors and Software: Critical for situational awareness and rapid decision-making.

• Integrated Systems: Ensuring that hardware works cohesively within a modern digital framework.

• Advanced Land Equipment: Showcasing innovations that protect soldiers while enhancing lethality.

By opening the door to non-traditional defence suppliers, the British Army seeks to fast-track the sensors, software and systems that will define the next generation of warfare.

Collaboration

The NAD Group is part of the UK MoD. Led by the UK National Armaments Director, Rupert Pearce, the NAD Group unites the MoD organisations responsible for developing, delivering, sustaining, housing and harbouring the UK’s national arsenal and defence estate.

Bringing together expertise in science, technology, procurement, infrastructure and support, the NAD Group provides integrated capabilities faster, more efficiently and effectively for our armed forces and allies.

DVD2026 stands as a testament to the power of connection, where industry and military leadership align to deliver the capabilities required for a lethal, resilient and ready force.